Sweet 3D Short

Admin 22 Jul 2010 Comments

Still from 'A Curbed Love'  

Recent Media Design School Diploma of 3D Computer Animation graduate Jay McDaniel has produced a piece of work as his final production which is just so hands-down cute, you can't get it out of your head. His 'Curbed Love' short is pretty special as he has attempted a 'story reel' using animation and some well crafted detailing in his modelling. Nailing a story that also shows off your technical skills is a pretty tough affair, adding complexity to this was his choice of animation as his specialisation - one of the most difficult 3D skills to 'show off.'

"To do an Animation reel you need to cover all aspects of 3D (concept, model, rig, animate, texture, light ect). This can give you a greater understanding of the production pipeline and how all the separate parts of 3D come together to create a finished product. I also believe having an understanding on all areas of 3D and the production pipeline will make you more desirable for employers. But the most important reason why I did Animation is because to like to bring things to life," says Jay.

In conveying the skills he had learnt during the 40-week course, Jay felt that a little story would provide more satisfaction than just providing a range of movement (e.g examples of a walk cycle, lifting, jumping etc). "The project then becomes more personal as a result, and it also provides the character with more personality helping to make the connection with the audience."

Jay's moodboard for 'A Curbed Love'

His main premise was really a bunch of ideas that "were floating around in my head combined together." The idea of the flower initially came from a stop motion project Jay was planning to show the relationship between a coke bottle and flower being separated. "Once I had my character holding the flower it was obvious to me what he was going to do, and as for him standing in the puddle, That was a joke that stuck."

Jay enjoyed the atmosphere and the interaction and healthy dialogue between staff and students at Media Design School, so much so that he has decided to come carry on and study Visual Effects and Motion Graphics: "Hopefully with combination of these two courses it will give me the ability to create some strong pieces work."

• Filed under: 3D Animation
• Tagged in: 3d animation,3d modelling,3d texturing,3d graduate,maya